Predicting the future in fantasy football is hard enough, but doing it accurately is what separates strong opinions from trusted analysis. For this article, we’re leaning on the latter. The 2026 fantasy football predictions you’ll find below come directly from experts who finished highly ranked in the FantasyPros Expert Accuracy Rankings, meaning their calls weren’t just bold — they were proven right. These analysts consistently outperformed the field across the 2025 season, earning their spot as some of the most reliable voices in the game. As you start prepping for 2026 drafts, these insights offer a data-backed look at which players, trends, and strategies could shape the upcoming fantasy football landscape. Here is fantasy football advice from some of the most accurate experts.
2026 Fantasy Football Advice from 2025’s Most Accurate Experts
Which player will you avoid in 2026 because you think their production is unsustainable?
Trey McBride (TE – ARI)
“Trey McBride just set the single-season receptions record for a TE by 10! That’s absolutely wild! If you could lock that in again, I’d take him in the first round of drafts. My issue is that I’ve seen a number of people posting their way-too-early top 10 rankings, and all of them have McBride in the top 10 overall. I get it, but you basically need him to have this same season again to pay off a first-round price tag. Otherwise, you’re really going to be hurting. There are actually a lot of young, athletic TEs in the game right now, so spending a first-rounder on McBride locks you out from drafting: Bowers, Kraft, Fannin, Loveland, Warren, LaPorta, etc. So yes, he could put together back-to-back record-breaking seasons…but he’ll need to if you want him to pay off likely first-round ADP. And that’s asking a lot.”
– Nick Zylak (Fantasy Football Advice)
Rico Dowdle (RB – CAR)
“Rico Dowdle is a strong option for a multi-headed backfield, but has been discussed more highly due to his strong early-season performance. If the price point is out of line with projections, I’ll be avoiding.”
– Christopher Gimino (RotoGrinders)
Christian McCaffrey (RB – SF)
“Christian McCaffrey led the NFL in touches in 2025 with 413. As I cited heading into the 2025 season regarding Saquon Barkley, chasing these RBs the year after they post monster touch totals is not a good bet. Barkley finished 2025 as the RB13. In the last 13 years, only one of those RBs was a top-5 fantasy RB the next year. after seeing 400-plus touches. One. Fade CMC in 2026.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
Josh Jacobs (RB – GB)
“Josh Jacobs finished as an RB1 in 2025 despite playing in just 15 games. But he turns 28 (gasp!) in February, and we saw Emanuel Wilson (who is surprisingly just over a year younger than Jacobs) have similar success when given opportunities. Jacobs has a cap hit north of $14.5 million in 2026, so it’s possible Green Bay decides to move on before this is even a consideration for fantasy managers. But if they don’t, my guess is Jacobs’s ADP will be too rich for my liking. I’m not banking on double-digit touchdowns to raise his floor again in 2026.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
Which player deserves a second chance in 2026 despite a disappointing 2025?
Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV) | Brock Bowers (TE – LV)
“I have a feeling we’re going to hear some wild stories about the Raiders organization in the coming months. We’re already seeing a few come out, and it’s truly incredible how poorly this team was managed. Ashton Jeanty AND Brock Bowers are superstars who were let down by coaching. If the Raiders make the right moves in the offseason hiring cycle, then these two are going to be league winners next season. Here’s to hoping the Raiders get their act together and that the public gives us these two at a discount.”
– Nick Zylak (Fantasy Football Advice)
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)
“Marvin Harrison Jr. will enter his age-24 season with his stock at an all-time low, a new coaching staff, and two players (Michael Wilson, Trey McBride) who were simply outstanding in his absence, drawing projections gravity from across the landscape. The price point could be substantially lower than the ceiling on his production, given his talent profile.”
– Christopher Gimino (RotoGrinders)
Breece Hall (RB – FA) | Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC)
“Breece Hall. Get this man off the Jets and just watch what happens. Also, think Ladd McConkey is also due for a major bounce back once the Chargers’ OL gets back to full health.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
“I was down on Breece Hall coming into the season for a number of reasons, the main one being that he played for the New York Jets. He was surprisingly NOT traded during the season despite playing on an expiring contract for an atrocious team, and he’ll be one of the most intriguing offensive weapons available in free agency this offseason. The landing spot will determine everything, including the level of excitement fantasy managers have about him. Will his ADP be suppressed by a pedestrian 2025 on a bad team, to the point you can get value? We’ll see. If he goes to a place like Dallas or Kansas City, probably not. The hype machine will be in full force there. But if he lands somewhere like Houston, Washington, Minnesota, Chicago, or Arizona? That could be the sweet spot between potential in a better situation and too much hype inflating his price on draft day.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
Which player are you most excited to draft in 2026, either because you think they’ll be a value or are poised for a breakout season?
Luther Burden III (WR – CHI)
“I’m super interested to see where Luther Burden’s final ADP lands next summer. I could see him getting steamed, but for good reason! He just looks so electric with the ball in his hands, and we saw the breakout happening these last few weeks. It took a little longer than expected for Burden and Loveland to break out as rookies, but it’s very clear that Ben Johnson has a vision for them, and that this offense is going to be elite next season. Assuming the ADP doesn’t get too out of hand, I’m going to have a disgusting amount of Burden next season.”
– Nick Zylak (Fantasy Football Advice)
Colston Loveland (TE – CHI)
“Colston Loveland and Luther Burden. Ben Johnson’s hand-picked rookies broke out massively in the second half of the season. Burden finished the season third in yards per route run (2.69). Loveland finished the regular season top-5 among TEs in PFF receiving grade and yards per route run. From Week 7 onward…the Bears TE ranked top-5 in targets, catches, and yards.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
Omarion Hampton (RB – LAC)
“Omarion Hampton flashed some of the talent but never the consistency or production in 2025 due to injury. I think this will cap his draft position, with at least 10 running backs expected to be drafted ahead of him. His range of outcomes in 2026 includes league-winning upside.”
– Christopher Gimino (RotoGrinders)
A.J. Brown (WR – PHI)
“This might sound like a weird one, but I could see A.J. Brown being a huge value in 2026. He was just outside WR1 territory this season, but that came with long stretches of frustration for both Brown and fantasy managers, where he was barely utilized in the offense. But there’s no way the Eagles bring back offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo in 2026, right? Right?! Assuming they don’t, things should only get better in Philly. And you should be able to pay a WR2 price for WR1 production.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
Never Draft Again: Which player burned you so badly in 2025 that you can’t fathom drafting them in 2026 unless their ADP plummets?
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)
“I really hope this actually remains true and I don’t fall victim to a potential summer hype train… But I simply can’t draft Marvin Harrison Jr. again. I was willing to overlook some glaring red flags after his rookie season because of how highly regarded a prospect he was. But he was downright awful this season! He consistently dropped wide-open targets and failed to win on contested catches (or gain consistent separation). It also clearly wasn’t the system, because Michael Wilson looked like Jerry Rice out there! I’d love nothing more than for Marv to prove me wrong, but he’ll do so on someone else’s team.”
– Nick Zylak (Fantasy Football Advice)
Keon Coleman (WR – BUF)
“Please contact security and ask them to escort Keon Coleman from the premises. His services will no longer be needed here.”
– Christopher Gimino (RotoGrinders)
Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAC)
“As long as Trevor Lawrence remains the QB in Jacksonville, it’s hard to be overly optimistic about Brian Thomas Jr. T-Law just works better with TEs and other WRs such as Jakobi Meyers/Parker Washington. Not too shocking, given how Lawrence was at his best in previous seasons with Evan Engram and Christian Kirk.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
“I did not enjoy the Jordan Addison experience in 2025. I knew he was probably being overvalued coming into the season based on his touchdown rates from the previous two seasons, but I didn’t expect this kind of implosion. In his defense, he dealt with some brutal QB play for most of the season. J.J. McCarthy looked like one of the worst young QBs we’ve seen since JaMarcus Russell, Max Brosmer may actually BE the worst QB we’ve seen since Russell, and a battered and broken Carson Wentz was serviceable at best behind a Vikings offensive line that was barely slowing down pass rushers. That obviously didn’t translate to anything close to consistent WR production, especially considering the Minnesota offense struggled even to feed Justin Jefferson. Addison was a boom or bust gamble coming into the season, and he never boomed. His best finish of the season was as WR10 in Week 17, and that was thanks to a 65-yard RUSHING touchdown. Unless there is some kind of miracle coming to play QB for the Vikings in 2026, count me out on Addison, even at what should be a discounted price.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
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